The Pressures
Faced by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Teachers and Staff

In an unsigned article published in the
Advocate
in April 2000, a Massachusetts teacher wrote, "You don't know me, and I
can't tell you who I am. . . . I'm afraid that if I come out as a gay man
in a forum this public, I will risk losing my job."253

A 1998 study of thirty-four gay and lesbian
teachers from across the United States found that only nine had disclosed
their sexual orientation to their current or former principals. While this
study is by no means comprehensive or necessarily representative of gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or transgender teachers nationally, it reinforces the
impression that many teachers are not comfortable being identified as gay
or lesbian to their supervisors.254

The failure of states to protect lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender teachers from job discrimination has several
ramifications for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. At worst,
teachers and counselors, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual
identity, may refuse to intervene to stop harassment of the gay students
out of fear that they will then be, correctly or incorrectly, perceived
to be gay themselves or to be "promoting homosexuality." Furthermore, school
districts lose input from a knowledgeable group of adults who could potentially
educate their peers on what lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth
are experiencing and help them devise intervention strategies. Finally,
discrimination against adults based on their sexual orientation or gender
identity is readily apparent to the youth themselves. Abusive youth justify
their harassment by pointing to societal and governmental support for discrimination,
and abused youth get the message that even adults in positions of authority
can be attacked because of who they are.

The Lack
of Job Security

We repeatedly heard school employees make
remarks similar to those of the Advocate columnist or the Georgia
teacher quoted at the beginning of this chapter.

"I couldn't put a pink triangle up," another
teacher in Georgia told us, referring to the common symbol of gay pride.
"I'm out when I walk out the door,"he added. Asked what it would take for
him to be out at school as well, he replied, "If I had the knowledge that
I'd keep my job, I imagine I would be out."255

Many school employees told us that they
were out selectively but risked losing their jobs if knowledge of their
sexual orientation or gender identity were more widespread. A counselor
in West Texas told us that her immediate supervisor knows that she is a
lesbian. "[He] doesn't have a problem with me, with the fact that I'm a
lesbian," she said. She does not intend to disclose her sexual orientation
to her regional director. "I have a feeling that if [he] figured out what
the rainbow sticker on my car was, there'd be a way I wouldn't be employed
any more."0

Most states do not prohibit discrimination
in employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Eleven
states and the District of Columbia protect employees from discrimination
on the basis of sexual orientation. Only Minnesota and the District of
Columbia also provide protection from discrimination in employment on the
basis of gender identity.1
In addition, local measures may protect teachers and administrators in
individual cities or counties. In California, for example, Berkeley, Brisbane,
Daly City, Laguna Beach, Long Beach, Pacifica, Santa Barbara County, and
the city and county of Santa Cruz prohibit discrimination in public employment
on the basis of sexual orientation. In Utah, similar measures were in force
in Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County.2

At the federal level, the Employment Nondiscrimination
Act (ENDA), which would have prohibited employment discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation and which was introduced by Sen. James M. Jeffords
and Rep. Christopher Shays, was narrowly defeated on the same day that
the Defense ofMarriage Act was passed overwhelmingly.3
Two attempts to reintroduce ENDA since 1996 have been defeated, as the
bill has died in committee without coming to a vote in either house of
Congress. Federal employees, excluding members of the military, are protected
from employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation by executive
order, although the measure protects virtually no teachers, nearly all
of whom are employed by state or local governments.4

The lack of legal protection against discrimination
in employment on the basis of sexual orientation leaves teachers and administrators
open to attack if they are supportive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
students. The Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund notes, "One tactic
is to target educators who attempt to incorporate gay content into class
instruction-for example, by referring to sexual orientation discrimination
issues in diversity classes, or by including discussions about historical
figures who were also lesbian or gay."5
In Michigan's Plymouth-Canton School District, for example, two gay teachers
were ordered to take down a bulletin board for gay history month four days
after they had put it up. Lambda reports that similar displays had been
posted in previous years by staff members who were not gay; the administration
expressed no concerns over the bulletin board at that time.6

In states with laws that criminalize private
sexual conduct between consenting adults, teachers and administrators reported
that they felt an increased sense of vulnerability. "We had a sodomy law.
When I started work, I signed a thing saying that I'd uphold the laws of
the State of Georgia," noted one teacher. "I feel I can go further in terms
of being out since the repeal of the sodomy statute."7

Teachers could often point to specific
examples that indicated to them that their school was hostile or unwelcoming
to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees. "I know of a teacher
who asked if she could have a safe room," a West Texas teacher told us.
A "safe room" is one in which the teacher will not permit harassment. "She
was told, `We don't do that here.'"8
A teacher outside Boston told Human Rights Watch of the difficulties she
and her partner had when their daughter was born. She took off a total
of six days from work, telling the school that she was taking care of family
members. Her partner also worked in the same school district. "Word got
back to me to cut it out. They were saying, `We know what she's doing and
we don't want to know what she's doing.' I'd spent ten years in that school
system."9

"[D]iscussions about homosexuality continue
to evoke a high level of discomfort, and as such, administration and school
boards sanction a policy of `official invisibility,'" writes Dr. Gerald
Mallon.10
Reflecting this unspoken policy, many school employees echoed the Georgia
teacher's statement that he was out as soon as he left school grounds.
"I'm not openly gay in my profession, but people see me with my friends
all the time," a teacher in West Texas said. "It's a nonsubject. That's
the best way to describe it."11

Youth understand the pressures that lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender teachers face. Matt P. told us that at his
New Hampshire school, "There was one teacher who was gay and out. She was
quiet for her own sake." Melanie S., a student in Massachusetts, said,
"I know a teacher, a guidance counselor; she's not out, but she's out to
me and the people in the GSA. . . . She didn't come out. She wanted to
wait three years, some sort of thing so she couldn't be fired."12

Students at a youth group expressed a similar
recognition of the risks lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teachers
run if they choose to be open about their sexual orientation or gender
identity. "In my school, there's this one gay teacher. Everybody knows,
but he's never said anything," remarked Javier R. "That's hisjob, man,"
replied Paul M. "That's his way of paying the bills. He's scared." "That's
his personal life. What he does at school shouldn't be about that," Miguel
S. agreed.

Despite their recognition of these pressures,
youth expressed disappointment in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
teachers who would not provide them with support privately. Before our
conversation turned to a different topic, Paul M. added, "Teachers should
help us out if they're gay, one-on-one. There are some who won't even talk
to us."13

As a result of these pressures, some lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender teachers are hesitant to offer support to
students who suffer harassment based on their actual or perceived sexual
orientation or gender identity. Katrina Avila of the Boston Alliance of
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth observed, "In some schools,
we've seen straight teachers push for it because teachers who weren't out
wouldn't push."14

Asked about the potential impact of federal
employment nondiscrimination legislation, Gail Goodman replied, "Huge.
It would make a huge difference, especially to teachers."15
A Michigan teacher told us, "Frankly, the role model thing won't change
until gay teachers are protected from discrimination."16

But others were less optimistic. Asked
what it would take to make it safe for teachers to be out, the Georgia
teacher replied, "For some, never. Especially for the older teachers, it's
just not going to happen."17
Brenda Barron, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network's assistant
field director for southern organizing, remarked, "Its passage would have
a small impact, but I don't think the closet doors will fly open," she
said. "There needs to be a lot of education, training, and visibility first
. . . . The fear will still be there unless there's a dialogue."18

Harassment
of Teachers by Students

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
teachers who are open about their sexual orientation or gender identity
also risk becoming targets themselves for harassment and violence. In some
cases, teachers are being harassed by their peers and in other cases by
students. If the harassment goes unaddressed, regardless of who is doing
the harassment, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students get
a clear message that even adults cannot protect themselves from bias attacks.

"This one teacher we had was getting harassment
from students," Alex M. said, referring to a teacher whom the students
suspected of being gay. "He couldn't do anything. Students know by law
the teachers can't touch them. I'm not sure where he is now, but he left
because of the harassment."19

Chance M. reported, "We had a gay man,
a substitute teacher. People would throw things at him. He was much older,
but he had the guts to wear a rainbow chain. I got nervous being seen with
him, but I talked to him. I remember him almost breaking down telling me
that he had stuff thrown at him."20

In some cases, students actually end up
defending the teachers, a role reversal that both underscores the vulnerability
of gay-identified adults and the lack of a coherent policy for addressing
bias-based harassment in the school system.

Clayton Vetter, who taught at Skyline High
School in Salt Lake City, revealed that he was gay at a press conference
organized to challenge a bill which would have severely restricted speech
by teachers outside the classroom. He coached the debate team and after
being publicly identified heard from a student on the debate team that
a group of football players were planning to beat him up. They planned
to use bars of soap in socks which they thought would break bones but not
leave bruises. It was his student who confronted the players and told them
that Vetter had never done anything to deserve being attacked. Vetter reports
that the student was then challenged about whether he had ever been touched
by Vetter. Vetter expressed concern, saying, "My students were scrutinized
by other students and were treated as suspect just because of their association
with me. It felt wrong that I couldn't protect them and yet they were put
in the position of defending me." Vetter eventually left teaching. Although
he was not fired, he felt immense pressure after being identified as gay.
"I had to be the best debate coach ever," he told us.21

The Benefits
of Openness

Most of the youth with whom we spoke agreed
with Chance M., the student who described having an openly lesbian, gay,
bisexual, or transgender teacher as "the perfect remedy."22
For students to trust that they will not suffer discrimination based on
their sexual orientation or gender identity, they need to see that adults
too are protected from harassment and discrimination. When students perceive,
as they often do, that teachers are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, but also
perceive that it is not safe for them to be open about their identity,
the youth again receive a message that how they identify is unacceptable.

"It definitely helps to have teachers who
are out," said Erin B. "You know you're not alone. You see how people treat
a teacher. So if you're not out, I would look to see how the students treat
the teachers, and that would affect whether I'd be out."23
"I think there should be more gay teachers," said Greg Z., citing similar
reasons.24

Having a teacher who is openly lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgender does not help only students who are themselves
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. A 2000 study found that having
a personal acquaintance who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual is linked to holding
fewer negative attitudes toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.25

Supportive
Teachers

Students repeatedly told us that having
even just one adult in the school system who supported them was critical
to them surviving the otherwise hostile atmosphere. Teachers need not be
lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender to be supportive of students, of
course. Greg Z. said, "My French teacher is my mentor. She knows about
me. Young gay men need that moral and emotional support."26
The same can be said of young lesbians and bisexual girls.

Youth told us that small things, such as
a few words of acknowledgment, a gesture, or the tone of a teacher's voice,
were immensely helpful to them. MelanieS., a Massachusetts sophomore, described
her reaction after a teacher mentioned having gay acquaintances:

When I was in eighth grade, one teacher
said, "I know gay people; I know a gay couple." She didn't have a negative
attitude. She only talked about it real quick. I suppose she was even scared
to talk about it. I heard that word. Just hearing that word, not even in
a positive sense, just not in a negative sense, it was astounding. It made
my month.27

Similarly, Lauren M. told us, "I went to
the gay prom and wrote about it for class. My English teacher wrote on
my paper, `That sounds like a really wonderful thing-I'm glad you went.'
Another teacher never addressed it directly, but he said hi to a girl I
brought to the theater banquet. He spent time talking with her."28

Ron P. told us that it made a difference
to him that with the exception of one teacher, he generally heard positive
things from his teachers on gay issues. "My freshman year, we were having
a discussion of homosexuality in class," he recounted. "The teacher was
very supportive of homosexuality, though the class wasn't."29

And Burke D. spoke of his principal's reaction
when he attended his prom with his boyfriend. "The administration didn't
know about it in advance. When we got there, the principal came over to
us. There were a lot of bewildered looks, but he was graceful about it.
I was incredibly nervous. He asked to be introduced. He showed approval.
That made a big difference. He took us over to the line for pictures. That's
when people decided it was okay."30

While it is clear that students benefit
from being supported by teachers and school officials, what was striking
was how little support most students expected. Most students are so accustomed
to being denigrated or ignored by their teachers that even a gesture as
neutral as allowing a student to stay in a classroom during lunch to escape
harassment was seen as significant. "I needed a safe place to stay during
lunch-my English teacher would let me stay in her classroom and read. It
saved my life," explained Nikki L., a fourteen-year-old lesbian who eventually
left school in favor of independent study.31

254
Sixty-five percent of those questioned had come out to one or more fellow
teachers, however. See Gail K. Bliss and Mary B. Harris, "Experiences
of Gay and Lesbian Teachers and Parents with Coming Out in a School Setting,"
Journal
of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, vol. 8 (1998), p. 18.

1
The jurisdictions that prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis
of sexual orientation are California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia,
Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode
Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. See National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, "GLBT Civil Rights Laws in the United States," April 2000, www.ngltf.org/downloads/civilmap0400.pdf
(accessed on January 29, 2001). See also Chapter XI, "Right to Nondiscrimination
and Equal Protection of the Laws" section, "State Protection from Discrimination"
subsection.

2
See Wayne van der Meide, Legislating
Equality: A Review of Laws Affecting Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered
People in the United States (Washington, D.C.: Policy Institute of
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2000).

3
The Employment Nondiscrimination Act was defeated 49-50, and the Defense
of Marriage Act, which passed 85-14 on September 10, 1996. The Defense
of Marriage Act allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages
from other jurisdictions, arguably in violation of the Full Faith and Credit
Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which provides, "Full Faith and Credit
shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial
Proceedings of every other State." U.S. Constitution, art. IV, § 1.
See
Robert L. Cordell II, "Same-Sex Marriage: The Fundamental Right of Marriage
and an Examination of Conflict of Laws and the Full Faith and Credit Clause,"
Columbia Human Rights Law Review, vol. 26 (1994), p. 247.

4
See Executive Order No. 13,087,
63 Fed. Reg. 30,097 (1998). This executive order remained in force as of
April 2001.

10
Gerald P. Mallon, "It's Like Opening Pandora's Box: Addressing the Needs
of Gay and Lesbian Adolescents Within Educational Systems," The Council
for Children with Behavioral Disorders Monograph: Highlights from the National
Symposium on Understanding Individual Differences (Reston, Virginia:
Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders, n.d.), p. 2.